KZN is showing leadership – Ramaphosa

ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa was full of praise for KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC and prospective premier Senzo Mchunu during an unscheduled appearance at a provincial education department function today.

Mchunu introduced localised feeding scheme tenders in a bid to spread government spending beyond established corporates.

From an initial seven service providers who provided school meals there were now around 1 000, more than 258 of which were from cooperatives.

“KwaZulu-Natal is showing leadership,’’ Ramaphosa said. “It seems like other provinces will have to learn from you. You are showing the country what can be done in terms of creating economic opportunities for people, especially women.

“The Freedom Charter said the wealth of the country should be shared … that is what I am seeing here.’’

Ramaphosa is continuing with the party’s mass mobilisation for Saturday’s headline rally in Durban to mark its 101st anniversary.

Ramaphosa was again accompanied by Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba as he took the party’s message to the KwaZulu-Natal faithful weeks after being elected to its number two position.

Ramaphosa first met behind closed doors with provincial and regional leaders in Pietermaritzburg today before making the appearance at the education function at which small business people who had been awarded school feeding tenders were being inducted into the system.

He also conducted a walkabout at Pietermaritzburg’s central taxi rank, where he met with traders and handed out pamphlets advertising the Saturday rally, which will be addressed by President Jacob Zuma.

Ramaphosa, who also met with business leaders for a luncheon, said small businesses could also help bolster government’s National Development Plan by perfecting their skills and diversifying.

Entrepreneurs should not blow their first government cheque on a Mercedes Benz but rather invest the profits in a new business venture, he said.

Later today, Ramaphosa will meet with ANC cadres for a discussion.

The party’s top six officials will then meet ahead of its National Executive Committee meeting tomorrow at which the January 8 statement to be delivered by Zuma at Saturday’s rally will be endorsed.